Shen Nian didn't say a word and went back to his room to get clothes for a shower.
He had originally wanted to invite the fishing uncle to go fishing together, but it was so late now. The uncle was probably already asleep, so everything would have to wait until tomorrow.
After his shower, he returned to his room and sat at his desk reading. He occasionally heard chattering sounds from the living room but didn't pay them much mind. He was more familiar with that voice than anyone; he guessed it was Xia Yanchun coming over to play with Shen Yue.
Xia Yanchun occasionally came to their house to hang out. There was even a dramatic incident before where she broke their showerhead and came over to take a bath.
The notebook was open, but alas, Shen Nian just wasn't getting it.
Before his senior year of high school, he found Xia Yanchun utterly annoying—a real troublemaker.
Xia Yanchun was the type who, even though she was already in the room, would call him in from the living room without saying why, and only after he entered would she ask him to pass her the tissues on the desk. She learned that from Shen Yue.
A true inheritor of the craft, one might say.
Shen Nian put down his pen, rested his head on his hands, and reminisced about their childhood. Xia Yanchun seemed not to have changed much since they were kids. Although the current Xia Yanchun gave off a sweet, lovely girl vibe, when she was with him, her troublemaking nature would occasionally show through.
Hiding it pretty deep, huh.
Shen Nian felt he himself hadn't changed much.
Adolescence is a stage of budding emotions. Starting from puberty, he transformed from a boy of all sorts into a boy who was, well, a bit more focused on one sort.
Ah, remaining unchanged for years, staying true to the original aspiration, one can finally achieve the goal. Shen Nian already had the makings of a Saint.
If Shen Yue is a Saintess, what's wrong with me being a Saint?
Knock! Knock!
The door was suddenly knocked on. Shen Nian snapped out of his thoughts, opened the door, and there stood a graceful young lady at the threshold. Due to their height difference, she had to look up slightly to meet his eyes.
"I have no living expenses left. Please, stop asking me for money. At worst... I just won't be friends with you anymore."
"???"
Xia Yanchun died of exasperation. Who was it that held someone's finger and touched it just at noon? Anyone who didn't know better would think Shen Nian, a solidly built guy over six feet tall, was being bullied by her, a girl barely over five feet.
She glanced back and, sure enough, Shen Yue was looking at her with a weird expression.
Xia Yanchun kicked Shen Nian's shin. "What nonsense are you spouting? Who are you putting on a show for? When have I ever collected 'friend fees' from you?"
"Really never?"
"..." Xia Yanchun broke into a cold sweat.
Oh no, she really had!
So she stubbornly insisted, "Never!"
"Alright, alright, alright." Shen Nian quickly ushered her in. After Xia Yanchun entered the room, he shuffled in his slippers to the fridge and fetched two yogurts.
"What about mine?" Shen Yue blinked. Who's the biological sister here? Buttering up the sworn sister, huh?
"Get it yourself."
Now that's a real biological brother.
Shen Nian returned to his room and closed the door behind him.
Shen Yue felt utterly speechless. What kind of person is this? Really, a grown brother is no longer kept. Might as well just perish. May Shen Nian have double the holiday homework in the future.
Xia Yanchun sat at Shen Nian's desk, flipping through the test papers he had written. She also heard Shen Nian and Shen Yue's usual bickering, which warmed her heart and made her lips curl into a smile.
Until Shen Nian came in and closed the door. She immediately felt uneasy and glared at him indignantly. "Why close the door? The AC isn't even on."
"I had it closed before you came too," Shen Nian explained.
Thinking about it, that was true. Xia Yanchun let it go, as it was his room after all, not a place to pick a fight.
"Here, yogurt."
"As a younger brother should. You're starting to resemble your childhood self a bit," Xia Yanchun nodded in satisfaction.
"Are you nuts? You act like this when I get it for you, and you'd be unhappy if I didn't."
"Even if you didn't get me yogurt, I wouldn't be unhappy, okay? I'm not that petty."
"Fine, fine. Next time I'll share snacks with everyone else and not you, totally isolate you."
"Suit yourself. I don't care anyway."
If Shen Nian dared do that, she would bite him, then cut ties and block him. She wouldn't forgive Shen Nian until he took the initiative to talk to her again.
But Shen Nian had been putting his arm around her shoulder and holding her hand lately, so they probably wouldn't be estranged for too long.
With the desk occupied, Shen Nian had to sit on the edge of the bed. He finished his yogurt in a few gulps and asked, somewhat puzzled, "So what did you come to find me for?"
Came to play with your sister, and by the way came to see you.
I'm just a by-the-way?
“Yeah, by the way. To see what you're up to, to see if you were lying about studying every time you come home.” Xia Yanchun humphed, pointing at the open exercise book on the desk. “Seems you really do study at home. Too much of a grind.”
Of course. Is it wrong that I study until two or three every night, then get up early to exercise, and by the way film the aunties' square dancing to send to Chen Dong? I just want to better myself.
"What on earth is that last part??"
"Nothing. Guy stuff between us."
Xia Yanchun looked disdainful. It sounded sketchy anyway, definitely not something good.
Not knowing how to respond, she turned her gaze to the exercise book. After looking for a moment, her expression suddenly showed surprise.
"Your handwriting seems neater. It used to be like chicken scratches, but now it's starting to look like proper writing!"
"Really?" Shen Nian leaned over to look. He never paid attention usually, but now that Xia Yanchun pointed it out, his handwriting did seem quite a bit neater.
In terms of a Chinese essay, it's the difference between getting points for presentation and not.
"See!"
"Ah, having nice handwriting is part of studying too."
It was more likely the mighty hand of [Glimmer Training] at work. As long as he had the intention to write nicely, his writing experience would gradually improve, and naturally, his handwriting would become better. The change was just too subtle for him to notice.
"But it's still just so-so. Can't really call it nice yet. It's just nicer compared to your old handwriting," Xia Yanchun stated frankly.
"I'm not competing with you. Improvement is good. Why do you always put me down? Afraid I'll really surpass you?"
Xia Yanchun's mouth twitched. "But what you write really is just average. Going from fifty points to a passing grade is improvement, but passing isn't as good as excellence."
"I can't reason with someone like you who scores seven hundred and has nice handwriting. You've disrupted my studious mood. Keep me company watching a movie." Shen Nian grinned.
"You always say I blame everything on you, but aren't you the same, pushing everything onto me and liking to pin labels on me!" Xia Yanchun instantly huffed with anger.
But she didn't refuse.
She came to Shen Nian's house precisely to see Shen Nian, to spend more time with him.
During the National Day holiday, she and Shen Nian went fishing together. That was the first time Shen Nian held her hand. They also went to buy milk tea together. Afterwards, Shen Nian didn't come looking for her for a whole day and a half.
If they spent a long time together tonight, Shen Nian probably wouldn't be as eager to seek her out tomorrow.
Hmph, this way she could both spend time with Shen Nian and also with Shi Yan, taking care of both sides.
No helping it, after all, she was Shen Nian's older sister.
Sister Chun's flavor is strong, needs no extra salt.
"Shi Yan is coming to my house to play tomorrow. I'll keep you company for a bit tonight, so don't come to my place tomorrow."
"Huh? You two go ahead and hang out, but you have to keep me out of it? What, are you two into girls or something?" Shen Nian squinted, suddenly realizing that Xia Yanchun really had a way with both guys and girls. It was almost scary.
"If you came over, Shi Yan would definitely be super uncomfortable. Have a little self-awareness, will you?" Xia Yanchun huffed.
Can't you see how much Li Shiyan is scared of you? She practically freezes up at the sound of your name.
Everything was fine, but once Shen Nian shows up, Li Shiyan probably wouldn't dare to say a word.
"That... makes sense, I guess. Fine, I won't go then. You two have fun. I'll go fishing." Shen Nian was still a bit unhappy and muttered gloomily, "I thought you wanted to hang out with me. Turns out it's because of that little loli. My feelings are hurt."
Xia Yanchun pursed her lips. "It's not exactly that..."
"It's been a while since I've been to your place. I was planning to find some time to come see you anyway. It just happened to coincide with Shi Yan's visit. But, to be clear, I'm mainly here to chat with your sister. You're just a bonus."
"Yeah, yeah, 'just a bonus.' Got it."
She came to see my sister, but only talked to her for a bit before heading to my room, and now she's watching a movie with me.
Do you really expect me to buy that?
Yanchun, you tsundere.
·
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